In a troubling incident the night of August 18, a group of around 20–25 unidentified individuals forcefully entered the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) office. They broke open the main gate, attacked security staff, smashed glass doors, overturned chairs, damaged tables, and even destroyed an air conditioner, according to Delhi University officials. Campus authorities have confirmed that police are investigating the case, and the vandalised office has been sealed for now.
A day later, the Congress-affiliated National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) condemned the act, calling it “cowardly” and blaming the RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). NSUI national president Varun Choudhary alleged that ABVP had a long history of campus violence and creating unsafe spaces, particularly for women students. He described the vandalism as a “clear display of ABVP’s frustration.”
ABVP, however, rejected the charges, accusing NSUI of staging the attack to gain attention ahead of polls. In its statement, the student wing said,
Groups that are unable to work on the ground or connect with students resort to propaganda.
ABVP further alleged that the vandalism was a “media stunt” designed to tarnish its image.
Choudhary, meanwhile, said NSUI would continue to campaign on issues of affordable education, timely scholarships, social justice, and women’s safety under the banner of “Mohabbat Ki Dukan.”
This is not the first time student politics at Delhi University has seen such flashpoints. From the defacement of DUSU offices in past years to violent clashes during presidential campaigns, incidents of hostility have increasingly overshadowed the democratic spirit of campus elections. In 2023, the election season was marked by allegations of physical intimidation and misuse of money power. Many students now argue that the real issues — ranging from affordable housing and better transport to the lack of hostels and deteriorating infrastructure — rarely find space in these campaigns. Instead, the narrative is often dominated by national party rivalries that play out on campus grounds.
All this paints a clear picture: DUSU politics have shifted from simply political debate to increasingly performative and destructive spectacles. Rather than fostering constructive dialogue, recent developments suggest that winning appears to have become more about leveraging force or acts of power.
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Featured Image Credit: DU Beat
Juhi Bansal